Bum rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate would be $ 50,000 a month when my new media company started. So, I began looking around for individuals who would be my first investors. “Angel money” it was called. But when I reviewed my list of acquaintances to find those who might be able to help, I found the number got small.

　　With no other choices, I began meeting with the venture-capital companies. But I was warned they took a huge share of your company for the money they put in. And if you struggled, they could drop you cold.

　　As I was searching for “angel money”, I started to build a team who trusted me even though I didn't have money for paychecks yet.

　　Bill Becker was an expert in computer programming and image processing at a very famous Media Lab at M. I.T. With his arrival, my company suddenly had a major technology “guy” in-house.

　　Katherine Henderson, a filmmaker and a former real-estate dealer, joined us as our director of market research. Steve White came on as operating officer. He had worked for the developer of a home-finance software, Quicken. We grabbed him.

　　We had some really good people, but we still didn't have enough money. One night, my neighbor, Louise Johnson, came for a visit. She and I were only nodding acquaintances, but her boys and ours were constant companions. She ran a very good business at the time.

　　Louise was brilliant and missed nothing. She had been watching my progress closely. She knew I was dying for money and I had prospects but could offer no guarantees of success.

　　She told me that her attorney had talked to mine and the terms had been agreed upon. She handed me an envelope. Inside was a check for $ 500,000.

　　I almost fell down. I heard her voice as if from heaven.

　　“I have confidence in your plan,” she said. “You' 11 do well. You're going to work hard for it, but it' s satisfying when you build your own company.”

　　Who would have thought I'd find an angel so close to home? There were no words sufficient for the moment. We just said good night. She left and I just stood there, completely humbled and completely committed.

1.For a newly-established business, bum rate refers to___________.

A. the salary it pays to its staff

B. the interest it pays to the bank

C. the way in which it raises capital

D. the speed at which it spends money

2.By "Angel money", the author refers to__________.

A. the money borrowed from banks

B. the money spent to promote sales

C. the money raised from close friends

D. the money needed to start a business

3.To get help from a venture-capital company, you may have to__________.

A. put up with unfair terms　         B. change your business line

C. enlarge your business scope      　D. let them operate your business

4.The author easily built a team for his company because__________.

A. they were underpaid at their previous jobs

B. they were turned down by other companies

C. they were confident of the author and his business

D. they were satisfied with the salaries in his company

5.Louise decided to lend money to the author because__________.

A. she wanted to join his company

B. she knew he would build a team

C. she knew his plan would succeed

D. she wanted to help promote his sales

 

After getting married I moved to a flat. I felt pretty comfortable living there 16 something strange happened. I had a doll on the windowsill (窗台) facing the living room. One day, I came back home from work and found it was facing the window 17 . I thought it was my husband who played a 　18 on me, but he did not admit. I 19 the doll to face the living room again.

The next day, the 20 thing happened. But this time, my husband was so 21 that I believed he had not done that. There was no 　22 of anyone breaking into the house while we were away. And there was no reason to 　23 that someone stole into the house just to turn the doll and left. What happened not only 　24 us but also frightened us.

The doll kept turning every day 　25 Saturdays and Sundays when I was at home. I began to wonder if there was a ghost.

Then 　26 a school holiday, and I didn’t go to work. While exercising in the living room, I 27 the doll was turning by itself! It was very frightening but I 28 knew why it was turning. There was a construction site right next to the building where I 　29 . The construction was at the stage of pile driving (打桩) and our building shook 　30 with each pounding (重击). 31 I lived on the top floor, the shaking was quite strong. 　32 , the doll moved little by little with the shaking. This also 33 why the doll never turned on Saturdays and Sundays, 34 there was no construction work at weekends. If I had not been home on a weekday, I would never have 35 the truth.

【小题1】A. after　　　 　 　　　　 B. as　　　　　　 　　 　 C. once　 　 　　　　　　 D. until

【小题2】A. already　 　 　　　　 B. indeed 　　 　　　　　 C. instead　　　 　 　　　　　　 D. though

【小题3】A. trick　　　 　　　　　 B. part　　　　　 　　　　　 C. danger　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. role

【小题4】A. changed　 　 　　　　 B. forced　　　 　　　　　 C. pushed　　　 　 　　　 D. turned

【小题5】A. other　　　　　　 　 B. same　　　　 　　　　　 C. whole　　　 　　　　　　 D. opposite

【小题6】A. serious　 　 　　　　 B. curious　　　　　　 　 C. anxious　　　　　　 　　　 D. nervous

【小题7】A. chance　 　 　　　　 B. need　　　　　 　　　　　 C. sign　　　　　　　　 　　　 D. way

【小题8】A. admit　　　　　　 　 B. think　　　　 　　　　　 C. expect 　 　　　　　　 D. worry

【小题9】A. confused 　 　　　　 B. excited　　　　　　 　 C. warned　　　　　　 　　　 D. interested

【小题10】A. including　　　 　 B. besides　　　　　　 　 C. without　　　　　　 　　　 D. except

【小题11】A. appeared　　　 　 B. came　　　　 　　　　　 C. existed　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. passed

【小题12】A. decided 　 　　　　 B. remembered　　　 　 C. noticed　　　　　　 　　　 D. hoped

【小题13】A. immediately 　　 B. particularly 　　　　　　 C. originally　 　　　　　　 D. secretly

【小题14】A. worked 　 　　　　 B. exercised　 　　　　　 C. moved　　　　　　 　　　　　　 D. lived

【小题15】A. quickly 　 　　　　 B. strongly　　　　　　 　 C. slowly　　　 　　　　　　 D. slightly

【小题16】A. When　　　　　 　 B. Since　　　　 　　　　　 C. Though　　 　 　　　 D. Unless

【小题17】A. By chance　　 　 B. Above all　 　　　　　 C. As a result 　　　　　　 D. In the end

【小题18】A. explained　　　 　 B. discussed　 　　　　　 C. described　 　 　　　 D. suggested

【小题19】A. or　　　　 　 　　　　 B. if　　　　　　　 　　　　　 C. for　　　　　　 　 　　　 D. so

【小题20】A. looked into　　　　　 B. found out　　　　 　　　 C. picked up　 　　　　　 D. searched for

I _____ her not to walk on the thin ice but she would not listen to me.

　　A. warned    B. persuaded    C. suggested    D. noticed

Bum rate is the speed at which a startup business consumes money. My rate would be $ 50,000 a month when my new media company started. So, I began looking around for individuals who would be my first investors. “Angel money” it was called. But when I reviewed my list of acquaintances to find those who might be able to help, I found the number got small.

　　With no other choices, I began meeting with the venture-capital companies. But I was warned they took a huge share of your company for the money they put in. And if you struggled, they could drop you cold.

　　As I was searching for “angel money”, I started to build a team who trusted me even though I didn't have money for paychecks yet.

　　Bill Becker was an expert in computer programming and image processing at a very famous Media Lab at M. I.T. With his arrival, my company suddenly had a major technology “guy” in-house.

　　Katherine Henderson, a filmmaker and a former real-estate dealer, joined us as our director of market research. Steve White came on as operating officer. He had worked for the developer of a home-finance software, Quicken. We grabbed him.

　　We had some really good people, but we still didn't have enough money. One night, my neighbor, Louise Johnson, came for a visit. She and I were only nodding acquaintances, but her boys and ours were constant companions. She ran a very good business at the time.

　　Louise was brilliant and missed nothing. She had been watching my progress closely. She knew I was dying for money and I had prospects but could offer no guarantees of success.

　　She told me that her attorney had talked to mine and the terms had been agreed upon. She handed me an envelope. Inside was a check for $ 500,000.

　　I almost fell down. I heard her voice as if from heaven.

　　“I have confidence in your plan,” she said. “You' 11 do well. You're going to work hard for it, but it' s satisfying when you build your own company.”

　　Who would have thought I'd find an angel so close to home? There were no words sufficient for the moment. We just said good night. She left and I just stood there, completely humbled and completely committed.

1.For a newly-established business, bum rate refers to___________.

A. the salary it pays to its staff　         B. the interest it pays to the bank

C. the way in which it raises capital　  　 D. the speed at which it spends money

2.By "Angel money", the author refers to__________.

A. the money borrowed from banks　  　 B. the money spent to promote sales

C. the money raised from close friends　　 D. the money needed to start a business

3.To get help from a venture-capital company, you may have to__________.

put up with unfair terms　         　B. change your business line

C. enlarge your business scope      　　 D. let them operate your business

4.The author easily built a team for his company because__________.

A. they were underpaid at their previous jobs

B. they were turned down by other companies

C. they were confident of the author and his business

D. they were satisfied with the salaries in his company

5. Louise decided to lend money to the author because__________.

A. she wanted to join his company

B. she knew he would build a team

C. she knew his plan would succeed

D. she wanted to help promote his sales